Stolen Apples
by Kartara
Summary: Inconsistent series of on-going one-shots that were previously done for the 2017 Obiyuki Week on Tumblr.
1. Quick little informational summary

**Quick little informational summary before you start reading!**

Obiyuki Week 2017 was held between September 3rd – 9th in 2017.

The theme for this week was " _When You Love Someone."_

The prompts for each day are as follows:

Day One (3rd of September): Listen

Day Two (4th of September): Laugh

Day Three (5th of September): Forgive

Day Four (6th of September): Free Day

Day Five (7th of September): Cherish

Day Six (8th of September): Flirt

Day Seven (9th of September): Protect

You can find all entries for this semi-contest by logging on to Tumblr and searching up this hashtag: #Obiyukiweek17

The amazing person who held this week goes under the username _Obiyukiweek_.

I did a total of seven prompts for every day and decided to upload it here. Have fun reading! Please be sure to leave your feedback, whether positive or negative! Whichever one it may be, it will always be productive!


	2. Just Listen

Obiyuki Week 2017, Day One: Listen

Title: Just Listen

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : Obi and Shirayuki have their first fight when he feels like she won't listen to him. What will happen to their friendship?

 _ **SPOILER ALERT**_ : This prompt may spoil part of the official plot of AnS, although most of it is purely fiction. If you haven't read to at least chapter 34, then you shouldn't read this.

* * *

Obi went to the training grounds to do his daily morning workout that consisted of bows, arrows, and his kunai. As he rounded a corner that led to the pharmacy—to get to the training grounds, you needed to pass by the pharmacy—he realised that something was a bit off. All the guards on duty were all huddled up together, their hushed whispers inaudible to him.

"What's going on?" Obi asked as he made his way to them, a worried look plastered on his face.

The guards all turned to him, their voices abruptly stopping.

"Should we tell him?" One of them asked, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"He more than likely already knows, so I don't see why not," Another guard answered as he shrugged.

They all straightened from their hunched positions and faced him.

A guard—Obi remembered that his name was Lin—stepped forward. "We have received word that Miss Shirayuki is going to Lilias for two years on official business. We all feel like this is rather unfortunate so we'll miss her."

Obi quickly spun on his heel, making his way to the pharmacy. _There is going to need to be some explaining to do!_

* * *

Shirayuki and Obi entered Zen's office at the same time but didn't do anything that showed they were close. Obi took his place on top of the window sill and Shirayuki took hers on a spare couch. He gazed outside with narrowed eyes as she tried to focus on the herb book she needed to study.

Zen was sitting down at his desk, signing some papers with his quill. Mitsuhide and Kiki stood idly by to help him sort or send them out.

"Is something wrong with them?" Mitsuhide whispered to Kiki.

She shrugged. "Like I'd know."

Zen put a finger on his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe Obi said something impertinent to Shirayuki?"

The three nodded in agreement. "Definitely."

The Second Prince decided to take the initiative and went to Shirayuki. "Are you alright?"

The redhead lowered her book and gave him a slight smile. "Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

He scratched his head nervously. "It just seems like you're angry at Obi…"

Shirayuki began to stiffen as she clutched her book tightly. "He just won't listen to me."

The silver-haired man gave her a nervous smile as he tried to think of something to do to help them. Nothing came to his mind.

At that very same moment, Mitsuhide strode over to Obi to pry a bit further into the matter. "What did you say to Shirayuki to get her so angry at you?"

"What? So, every time someone gets angry with me, it's always my fault?!" He scoffed angrily at him. "Maybe for once it was _her_ fault!"

" _My_ fault?!" Shirayuki exclaimed as she let go of her book and jumped up. "This was completely all _your_ fault!"

"Yes, this is _your_ fault!" He accused her as he stood up from his perch on the window sill. "You should've told me of your plans first and not make me the last to know!"

"Well, maybe I didn't tell you first because I knew you'd react like _this_!" The usually calm and composed red-haired lady shot back at him.

"You didn't even tell me!" The ex-assassin accused her. "I had to learn from the talk of the guards on duty at the _pharmacy_!"

Zen slowly backed away from the fuming pair, hiding behind Mitsuhide. "Tell me when they're done fighting."

"And be left in the crossfire?" Mitsuhide asked sarcastically. "Not a chance."

Kiki gestured towards the door as Obi and Shirayuki continued to bicker. "We can make a break for the door if we're fast enough. They're too busy fighting to notice us being gone."

"YOU'RE SO INCONSIDERATE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S FEELINGS!"

" _YOU'RE_ SO INCONSIDERATE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S WISHES!"

Mitsuhide held up one finger, then another. When he held up a third finger, they quickly ran towards the door, closing it softly behind them as the sound of their bickering slowly began to fade when they receded down the hallway.

* * *

Shirayuki and Obi finally ran out of things to say and were now heaving their chests as they struggled to breathe.

"Where… is…. everyone….?" Obi struggled to get out.

"I don't…. know…." Shirayuki slowly managed to reply, clutching her chest tightly as she tried to get her breathing back to normal.

Once they both managed to get their breathing back to normal, they both straightened and faced each other. They both stood silently as they waited for the other to speak.

"I'm sorry," The Court Herbalist apologised softly. "You're right—I should have told you first about me having to go to Lilias instead of letting you find out through the spreading of gossip."

The brunette sighed. "No, it wasn't completely your fault. I'm sure that if I didn't hear from the guards, you would've told me eventually. I guess _it_ , realising that a bunch of complete strangers knew about your official trip and that I didn't, made me angry."

She fidgeted with her hands. "The first ones to know were actually Mitsuhide and Kiki, but they allowed me to tell Zen soon after. I guess I just assumed you already knew since you're always the one passing on the news to them…"

Obi rubbed his neck as he let out a nervous laugh. "I usually do that, so I can see why you'd think that..."

He suddenly found himself walking towards her, stopping directly in front of her.

"Hmm? What is it?" Shirayuki asked as she blinked in confusion.

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Where ever you go, please promise me that you'll do your best and stay you. That's all I ask."

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back. "I promise, and I never make a promise I cannot keep."

They chuckled softly, the anger between them gone as they embraced.

* * *

If you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, should I have any free time. xD


	3. Laughter Fills the Air with Happiness

Obiyuki Week 2017, Day Two: Laugh

Title: Laughter Fills the Air with Happiness

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : When Shirayuki overhears a noble scrutinizing her behind her back, she starts to doubt her self-worth and becomes depressed. What will Obi do to cheer her up?

* * *

Shirayuki entered the pharmacy quietly, closing the door softly behind her to avoid any attention being directed in her direction. She tried to make as little noise as possible when she opened the door to the shared office she had with Ryuu, but it was all for naught.

"Mistress, why are you behaving like I would if I had done something bad and knew Master would be angry?" Her keen best friend and protector, Obi, asked as he gave her a sceptical look from his perch on the window sill.

She stiffened as her hands began to twitch. "I… didn't want to disturb Ryuu while he worked."

Obi raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but thankfully, he didn't pry any further than that.

"Hey, Shirayuki," Ryuu called out as he glanced in her direction. "Mind putting these herbs that I smothered in a jar for safe-keeping? I need to go run an errand for the Chief Herbalist."

"Not at all!" She responded enthusiastically. "I'll get started on it right away!"

Even though the red-head gleefully put the herbs in the jar as Ryuu went out to go get something from the inventory stock, Obi couldn't help but feel worried about her.

Once Ryuu had left, the ex-assassin lowered his voice so as to not be heard by anyone else. "Mistress, are you alright? You seem a bit tense…"

She stopped dead in her tracks, visibly stiffening at the observation. "What makes you say that?"

He rolled his eyes. "I don't know, maybe the way you quietly entered the room with a tinge of somber sadness?"

Shirayuki gave him a nervous laugh. "Am I really that easy to read?"

The brunette nodded in confirmation. "Yes, yes you are. Now will you tell me what's bothering you so much?"

The young herbalist set the jar down slowly before answering. "When I went out to do an errand, I overheard a noble talking about me. They said that I'd never be able to be with Prince Zen, no matter how much I wanted to, because we have two different roles. He's a prince and I'm a commoner. They also pointed out that Zen was dodging marriage proposals from foreign princesses left and right!"

"EHHH?!" Obi exclaimed, his hands involuntarily twitching in mid-air. "That can't possibly be true, can it?!"

She had already turned away from him when she gave a hopeless shrug, if you could even call it that. Her shoulders only moved somewhat up, her clear dejection showing through. "I… want to ask him if it's true, but somehow, I get the feeling that I'd be stepping out of my place if I did that."

"It's okay, Mistress. I'm sure that noble was just exaggerating for effect."

"But isn't most of it certainly true? I'm only a lowly commoner. I'd forget my place if I thought I could ever be with Prince Zen as his equal…"

"Mistress? Will you turn this way?'

Shirayuki stood still at first, but she slowly complied with his request and managed to turn to him. He gulped slightly when he saw that tears were brimming in her eyes.

 _Aghhhh, what do I do…?!_

He hated seeing her so down about something so trivial. He'd much prefer her laughing or smiling instead of crying or being angry. _Wait, that's it! I can make her laugh!_

He gave her a mischievous smirk. "Say it was true that Master was dodging proposals left and right. Can you imagine him being proposed to and having to decline? He'd probably be blushing and demeaning himself to decline. 'Oh, no, I couldn't possibly take you as my wife! You need someone who doesn't run from their official duties! I'd make a terrible husband!'"

She chuckled lightly. "That would be a funny sight to see, now that you put it that way!"

Obi smiled at her. "That's the laugh I lo… uh… _like_ to hear."

The red-head smiled kindly at him. "Thanks for helping me with this, Obi! I don't know what I'd do without you!"

He shrugged. "Probably be miserable."

They spent the rest of the afternoon discussing numerous ways Zen could decline a proposal, each doing pretty good impressions of him. Even little Ryuu joined in midway when he came back.

* * *

If you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, should I have any free time. xD


	4. Forgiving is Easy But Forgetting is Hard

Obiyuki Week, Day Three: Forgive

Title: Forgiving is Easier, but Forgetting is Harder

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : Even though Shirayuki had forgiven Obi when he failed to protect her in Tanbarun, she couldn't completely forget about it, not with such a constant reminder of it showing up every day of her life. What is the constant reminder of her kidnapping? Had Obi even forgiven himself for his failure?

 _ **SPOILER ALERT**_ : This prompt spoils a bit of the Tanbarun Arc (chapters 20 – 26). You have been warned!

* * *

Shirayuki retired to her bedroom after a heard day's work of trying to find the cure to the mysterious disease that was sweeping the city. She did a few stretches to make sure her muscles weren't so tense before she prepared a bath with lavender scented candles to relax in.

After the much-needed bath, she quickly dried off and slipped into her long nightgown that went all the way to the floor. When she went to go grab a book from her bookshelf to read, she heard a soft knock on her door. "Come in! The door's open!"

"Good evening, Mistress! I just came by to see how–"

The young herbalist turned around to see why had he stopped. "What is it, Obi?"

His mouth was wide open, blinking several times in disbelief. "Your… cheek…"

"Hmm?" She asked as she involuntarily lifted up a hand to touch the cheek he was staring at. Immediately, she felt the scar. _Eekk! I forgot that when I took a bath, it washed away the herb remedy that covered my scar up!_

Obi hung his head low, staring intently at the floor. "Have you always had that scar?"

She stood still as she responded. "Ever since Umihebi hurt me with her weapon before, I've had this scar."

"Does anyone else know?

"No. I usually cover it up."

"Not even the Master?"

"Nope, not even him."

Neither one of them could think of something to say, so they both let the silence continue on. When Shirayuki couldn't stand it any longer, she decided to break the silence. "Are you okay, Obi?"

He slowly lifted up his head, and she could suddenly see the pain he was in. "That's the question I should be asking you, Mistress."

She quickly made her way towards him before putting her arms around him. "I don't blame you one bit for what happened to me, Obi. I know that you'll beat yourself up over it, but don't blame yourself for it, okay? It's my fault for not listening to Umihebi when she first told me to go below deck."

Almost as if on impulse, Obi tentatively lifted his hand to cup her cheek. He gently inspected the scar with his thumb. "The reason it left a scar is because Umihebi's weapon—the modernized kusarigama—was more than likely coated with some toxin that kills cells and prevents them from healing. It has something to do with the metal inside it and the pressure the wielder uses."

She gave him a look of astonishment. "How did you know that?"

He removed his hand from her cheek and shrugged before heading to her personal makeshift workspace. "I'm an ex-assassin so I was taught that you shouldn't use a toxin-coated kusarigama on hostages or merchandise. If we did, they taught us a simple herbal remedy that could easily heal the infected area."

As he rummaged about, trying to get the needed supplies to make it, Shirayuki gazed at him as she watched him closely. "Do you miss being an assassin?"

He gave her a mere shrug, not even paying a glance in her direction. "Some aspects of it, I do. Like being mostly independent and being able to leave whenever I please without getting yelled at. But other aspects—like not being close to anyone or being unable to protect anyone else but myself—I don't in the least bit."

Obi finally managed to find all the needed supplies—an herb grinder, a mixture of herbs, and bandages—and got to work on grinding the herbs. He tried to ignore the stare she was sending his way.

"How did you learn how to grind herbs like that?" Shirayuki asked in amazement.

He continued to grind them until he was sure they were liquidized, then grabbed a nearby bandage and smeared it on. "I learned a lot of this from watching over you and Ryuu. It's amazing how you do this so easily. At first, it took me a long time to master it, and even now, I'm not as good as you."

She smiled sweetly at him. "You've gotten good. Better than I was when I was first starting, that's for sure."

Obi felt his heart begin to ache as he gently placed the bandage onto her scar, careful not to look into her eyes lest he break. _Don't look at me with those kind eyes… I don't deserve it, after all I put you through…_

He couldn't bear it anymore, so he quickly pivoted on his heel and decided to busy himself with cleaning his makeshift workspace.

"Obi," Shirayuki began in a sweet, heart-warming tone, "you never answered my question. Are you okay?"

The Prince's Knight carried on like she had said nothing and continued to tidy up. "Aah, you put your personal stock of herbs inside the pouches, right? Which way is it organised again?"

"I organised them alphabetically and I wrote the labels onto the leather of the pouches with permanent ink. Anyhow, can you please answer my question?"

"Aghh, clumsy me; I forgot where you put your herb grinder! Where was it again?"

"In the small, makeshift-compartment I made for it in my dresser that's beside my bed. Can you please stop dodging the question and answer me?"

"Man, I must be getting a mild case of amnesia! Where did you tell me you put your bandages at—"

At this point, Shirayuki was fed up with his constant dodging of her questions. She had gotten out of her chair and somehow now stood in front of Obi, looking him in the eye. "Why won't you answer the question?!"

He couldn't make eye contact with her, so he just put the bandages up on her shelf, along with all of her herbs. After that, he faced her but kept his eyes to the floor. "You want to know how I feel? Fine. I feel like a failure of a knight—no, of a _man_ for not protecting you when you needed it most. I let you get kidnapped and almost sold into slavery, and now you have a scar to remind you of it every. Single. Day."

"Obi, it's alright. You did your best—"

"I don't need your pity or kind words. I'm not worthy of it."

After a minute or so of full-on silence, Obi decided to glance up at her to see what was wrong. When he did, he wished he hadn't. She was now clenching her fists at her sides as she trembled—with the remembrance of fear or of sadness, he did not know—and her eyes were now brimming with tears.

"S-So let me get this straight," She began in an unsteady and wavering voice, "what I say doesn't matter?"

"It's not like that—"

"Yes, it is!" Her shrill voice cut through to his heart. "You told me what I said didn't matter back then in the forest, when I went after you. You said that nothing I could ever say would make a difference, so I didn't say anything. Do you know how that felt? To have someone who tells you that nothing you could ever say would help them heal?"

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then what way did you mean it? It seems to me that there's only one way to interpret it!"

"When I said that, I didn't mean your words didn't matter to me! I meant that no matter what kind words you wasted on a failure like me, I could never, _ever_ deserve them! I still don't deserve them, to this very day!"

At this point, he was staring her dead in the eye. Of course, he couldn't see her clearly, since she was blurry due to the tears beginning to brim inside his eyes.

"Do you understand now?" He asked in a quiet, sorrowful voice. "Why I don't want you saying kind words to me?"

"Obi," She began in a quiet voice but gradually grew surer and surer. "you do deserve every kind word spoken to you. How many times have you saved me without fail? One failure, compared to all of those times you succeeded, doesn't matter much."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better…"

"No, I'm not. I'm saying this because I care about you."

"Care for someone who can actually protect you."

"I am. That's why I'm caring about you."

"It's wasted on me…"

"I can assure you it's not."

They let the eerie silence envelop them for a moment, but Shirayuki broke it soon after. "Obi, I've forgiven you. It's about time you've forgiven yourself so we can both move on."

He clenched his fists even tighter. "And why would I do that?"

"Because seeing you hurt like this hurts me! Obi, I love you! I'd never want to see you hurt like this ever again!"

His eyes began to widen as he took in her words. "W-What?!"

Her voice, unwavering and sure, rang true. "I love you, Obi. With all of my heart, all that I am, I love you."

"M-Mistress, you're making a mista—"

His lips never got to finish saying those words because she pressed hers against his. Their kiss was unlike anything Obi ever imagined—it was sweet, pure, but also passionate at the same time. When he received her feelings, he decided it was about time she receive his. He kissed her back slowly and unsurely at first, but gradually, he began to allow himself to love her.

They parted only when they needed air, both out of breath. "Do you understand why I need you to move on, Obi?"

A smile played on his lips. "Your message has been received loud and clear, Mis—"

Shirayuki pressed a finger against his lips to silence him. "Please don't call me Mistress anymore. When I tell Zen how I feel about you, I won't be your mistress anymore. Please call me Shirayuki."

"Okay," He said with uncertainty. "Shir… Shira… Shirayuki."

She smiled sweetly at him. "I want to wake up to your voice saying that to me every day. That'd be enough."

He smiled back at her. "Then I promise that every day, I will wake you up with the faintest whisper of your name in your ear."

She pressed her lips against his, both losing themselves in the kiss. This wasn't your ordinary fairy tale, but it was theirs all the same. Living happily ever after forever more.

* * *

A/N: Ahhh, this was by far the prompt for Obiyuki Week that I loved doing the most! The words came to me effortlessly and I really enjoyed writing it! Plus, I really enjoyed thinking about how Obi would react in a situation like this and finally being true to himself. I thought about it so much, I just _had_ to write about it! xD

Also, I vaguely remember reading an Obiyuki fan-fiction before where she had a scar from Umihebi, but I cannot remember its name. If you know of this fan-fiction, please don't feel like I've copied it; I don't have a precise recollection of what the fan-fiction was about, anyhow. Aside from the one tiny detail of Shirayuki receiving a scar, I doubt our stories are that similar.

On a completely different note, if you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, granted that I have any free time. xD


	5. A Day Off!

Obiyuki Week 2017, Day Four: Free Day

Title: A Day Off?!

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : After working so hard and finally finding out the cure for the mysterious disease, everyone is given a day off to simply enjoy themselves. Obi, only joking, asked Shirayuki if she wanted to spend her day off with him. What will happen to the two friends?

* * *

"Huh? We're getting a day off?" Shirayuki asked Ryuu.

He nodded in confirmation. "Yep. On the Head Pharmacist of Lilias' orders."

She scratched her cheek nervously. "I guess that means we can't just ignore their orders, huh…?"

He let out a sigh. "We very well can't…"

Obi was just lingering around, so he easily overheard them. "Hey, Mistress, how about me and you go out into town to look around?"

The mischievous glint in his eyes and his smirk should have made it evident that he was just joking around, but Shirayuki was too lost in her own mind to thoroughly think it through. "Sure. I don't see why not."

"EHHH?!" Her personal knight exclaimed, backing away slowly. "You'd really like to go out into town to look around with me?!"

She shrugged indifferently at him. "I've nothing else to do so that seems better than lounging around and doing nothing."

His hand twitched slightly in mid-air. "You make a valid point…"

"Then it's settled!" She declared as she grabbed her coat and opened the entrance door. "You and I will be touring the surrounding area in…. an hour!"

The bubbly herbalist closed the door behind her and she raced back to her room to go get changed. Obi glanced at Ryuu. "Would you be willing to join us on our trip?"

The young boy shook his head. "I'd much rather coop myself in the library and get familiar with all the types of plants Lilias has to offer. Good luck, nonetheless."

As he went back to stuffing his nose inside a book, the Prince's Attendant let out an exasperated sigh. _Master's going to kill me when he finds out…_

* * *

Shirayuki wasted no time in looking through all of her clothes to find the perfect outfit to wear for this special occasion. She finally settled on a dark-indigo shirt, a violet skirt, and a dark violet coat that had counterfeit fur creased out on the cuffs. Matching it with fur-cuffed brown leather boots, she felt like she was finally ready to go.

"Okay, time to go with–" She was cut off when she opened the door and was surprised. The person standing before her was no other than Yuzuri!

"Heyyyyy, Shirayuki!" Her best friend greeted her as she grinned mischievously. "I heard you were going out into town with Obi?"

The red-head blinked. "Yes, we are. Where'd you hear that from?"

She waved her off. "Oh, a little birdie told me."

Pushing her aside, Yuzuri let herself in and closed the door behind her. She walked over to her bed, plopping herself on it, while Shirayuki followed her lead and sat next to her.

"Soooo…," Yuzuri began, "how do you feel about having to go on a date with Obi?"

""Date"?" The confused girl repeated, blinking in confusion.

The Official Lilias Botanist nodded in confirmation. "Yep! How do you feel?"

Shirayuki scratched her cheek nervously. "It's not really a "date" so much as hanging out…"

"Oh, no, it's totally a date!" The blonde responded with certainty. "A man and a woman, going out into town to look around the shops on their day off? Totally a date."

When her best friend put it that way, she began to blush. "N-No! It's not a date b-because…. we're… friends!"

The bubbly botanist waved her off. "Now, now, let's not get hungover little details! You're going to be wearing that on your date?"

The blushing herbalist nodded. "Y-Yes… I thought it'd look cute…"

Her friend put a finger on her chin in a thinking posture. "That's good, but it's missing something… hmmm…. Oh, I know!"

She reached inside her coat and pulled out her cat earmuffs, placing them on Shirayuki's head. "Wear these as you go tour the shops!"

She glanced up at her newly acquired earmuffs. "They do look pretty cute…"

"So, you'll wear them?"

"Uhh…. Sure?"

* * *

Obi held his fist in mid-air as he debated whether to knock on her door or just wait for her to come out. He didn't want to seem like he was in a hurry by knocking on her door, but he didn't want to seem apathetic either by not knocking.

 _Ahh… what to do, what to do….?_

Suddenly, the door opened and he was face-to-face with her. They stood awkwardly as she took in his fist in mid-air, gathering that he was about to knock.

"Oh…" He began, feeling his face getting hotter by the second. "Hi."

"Hi," She chirped back. After a minute of full-on silence, she decided to speak once more. "Ready to go?"

Obi unbaled his fist and put it by his side. "Oh, yeah. We should get going, but are you really going to wear those cat earmuffs?

She impulsively put her hand on one of the ears. "Why? Is something wrong with them?"

He quickly shook his head. "Nope, nothing is wrong—are you ready to go now?"

Shirayuki smiled at him. "Ready when you are."

After they rode on his horse for a while, they arrived at one of the shopping outlets in downtown Lilias.

"Where should we start?" Obi asked.

"We should probably make sure your horse is taken care of," She responded lightly.

Once that was taken care of, they walked down the pathways to gaze at numerous shop windows to see if anything would captivate them enough to want to explore more. Unsurprisingly, they caught a few stranger's stares as they walked about. Shirayuki's red hair, combined with the cat earmuffs, caused for some unwanted attention to be directed towards them. Obi felt a few envious eyes bear into the back of his head as he strode around with her. The pair stopped at a quaint little tea shop and ordered a cup of tea and a cake each. They finally got sick of all the stares as they ate, so they settled on one store with an abundance of the latest Lilias fashion and decided to go inside to try on a few.

"How about we pick out each other's clothing?" The ex-assassin suggested as he strode over to the women's department.

"Sure, but don't come crying to me when you get arrested for looking at certain women clothing!" The young herbalist called out before disappearing into the men's section.

Obi chuckled lightly before he began looking through all of the dresses and settled on a few, then went over to the assortment of hats the store displayed to find any matching ones. Once he was finished with that, he managed to find a few pairs of shoes that complimented the outfits picked out rather nicely.

"Okay, Mistress!" He called out. "I'm done picking out your outfits. Are you finished with mine?"

"Just a second!" The familiar voice called back. "Just one more thing and—okay, I'm finished!"

They both took their findings to the changing rooms and exchanged them with one another.

"Shall I go first?" Obi asked, wanting to save the best for last.

She shrugged back at him indifferently. "If you want to, go ahead. I'll sit here and wait."

The first outfit Shirayuki picked out was an assortment of clothes that made him look like a sheriff. Somehow, she had managed to scrounge around and find pointy, brown leather boots that went up to his knees, beige-coloured voluminous pants that he had to hold up with a belt that had a star on its buckle, a beige shirt with a matching vest, and a hat that looked similar to that of a fedora. Matched with a fake gold star pin, he really did look like a sheriff.

"Haha!" She let out, pointing at him. "You totally look like a sheriff!"

"Pfftt!' He let out, giving her a mock-annoyed look. "I do not. You totally forgot the belt must have a gun holster and that the sheriff doesn't wear a hat that looks like a fedora. Nice try, but you've completely failed."

"I'd like to see you do better!"

"Fine! Why don't you go try out one of my outfits?'

Shirayuki grabbed a random outfit and headed to the women's changing room. She came out with a very annoyed face as she glowered down at Obi. The outfit he had chosen consisted of three parts: red high heels with two inches of support, a matching red, silky dress that had one strap that fitted around the midsection of her arm, and to top it all off, a red, sparkly necklace.

Although normally this would make a woman look more seductive, it made Shirayuki look like she was trying too hard. The high heels almost made her trip over thin air and the strap hung too loosely on her arm, slipping off multiple times. It made it seem like the dress was made for someone bigger than her; almost like a kid trying on clothing too big for them.

Obi laughed at her failure to pull it off. "You couldn't seduce someone even if you tried!

She hissed at him. "It's not my fault! Seriously, red? You couldn't think of anything better than that? You even got my size wrong!"

He wouldn't stop laughing, so she snatched one of the outfits she picked out for him, put it into his arms, and pushed him into the men's changing room. "Let's see how you like that one!"

The ex-assassin gave her a glare as he came out. This time, the red-head had chosen a costume that resembled that of a fox. "What are you trying to convey with this, Mistress?"

She chuckled softly. "That you're a fox."

"Okay, your turn again!"

Unlike last time, this outfit wasn't the least bit flattering. It was made up of a black turtleneck that bunched near her stomach unflatteringly, a green, voluminous vest, baggy black pants, and boots that looked like they belonged in the men's department.

When she came out, she crossed her arms angrily as she tapped her arm impatiently. "What was the message behind your choice?"

"That you should shop in the men's department more often…?"

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

After punching him in the arm about a dozen times, Shirayuki finally calmed down and sat down on the bench next to him. "Did you actually think as you picked out any clothes for me?"

He shrugged. "It's not my fault this store has a costume department inside it. Who'd have thought?"

She grabbed the last outfit she chose for him and handed it to him. "Although the other two outfits were just for fun, I really thought about what would look best on you when I chose this."

"Oh," He let out indifferently as he stared down at it. He grabbed the last outfit that he chose for her and set it down on her lap. "I also did the same with this outfit."

"Okay, thanks!" She said as she gave him a gentle smile. "We should go try ours at the same time so we won't waste any more time."

"Good idea."

They went into their separate rooms and quickly changed. Obi came out first with Shirayuki coming out soon after.

"Ohhh, I really like the outfit you chose for me!"

The outfit Obi had really thought about was a white dress that had gold thread intertwining in a pretty pattern at the cuffs and hem. He had matched that with white leggings, short white boots with soft, white wool at the cuffs, and a white coat that had a gorgeous light blue pattern sewn into the torso area.

He smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it. I also like the clothing you've picked out for me."

The clothing she had picked out looked similar to that of what a noble would wear but didn't feel like it. She had gotten him a black shirt with gold thread sown at the cuffs, black pants that looked tight but really weren't, and black boots with soft padding for his feet. It made him look more gentlemanly instead of like an assassin.

She gave him a soft smile. "I remembered when you complained about having to wear constricted and uncomfortable noblemen clothes, so I decided to look around and find something that resembled it, but didn't feel like it. That way, if you wanted to, you could wear that instead of stiff noble clothing."

He felt his face begin to redden, so he quickly spun on his heel and pointed towards the checkout counter. "We should probably go pay for our things and leave. The others must be wondering what's taking us so long."

The two friends changed into their normal clothes, paid for their findings, and put whatever they did not want away. When they finished, they realised that the sun had already begun to set.

"Oh no!" Shirayuki gasped. "We better hurry and get home!"

They paid the stablemaster for taking great care of his horse before getting on Obi's horse, quickly making their way home. When they finally reached the Lilias Pharmacy Building, the sun had already set and the night was falling.

Obi handed his horse to the stable-keeper and helped Shirayuki to her room. "Sorry, we didn't do much today…"

She waved her hands frantically at her sides. "No, no! I had so much fun today! Thank you so much for taking me out!"

He let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you had fun, but we should probably keep this between us. After all, if Master knew…"

An image of him yelling at them entered their minds, and they both shivered.

"Yeah…" Shirayuki agreed. "It'd be best not to."

"Well, it wasn't all for naught!" He said cheerfully. He took out a scary mask he secretly bought and put it on his face. "I got this so I could scare people with it!"

"Obi, you're such a…" She started but broke into a laugh. "Well, I had a nice time, anyhow. I hope we can do it again."

"Really?" Her Personal Knight asked like a child confirming he was getting a new toy as he removed the mask from his face to look her in the eye to see any sign of deception.

She nodded. "Definitely! Anything with you'd be fun, no matter how boring a task it may be!"

He stood silent for a moment but suddenly found his body moving on its own. He put the mask on her face and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Mistress."

Before she could even question it or remove the mask, he had jumped out a nearby window.

 _Geez,_ she thought as she puffed out one of her cheeks. _He even left his mask…_

* * *

A/N: I was wondering what would have happened if they had to pick each other's clothing and ended up writing this as a prompt for the free day. Not sure exactly what my train of thought was, but at least it's finished! xD

On a completely different note, if you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, granted that I have any free time. xD


	6. Cherish Your Friends

Obiyuki Week 2017, Day Five: Cherish

Title: Cherish Your Friends

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : When Obi first comes to Lilias to watch over Shirayuki and Ryuu, she starts to keep to herself. While everyone tries to talk to her to see what's worrying her, she waves their worries away and tells them she's fine. Only one person can tell that's a lie; Obi. What will happen when he confronts her about this?

* * *

"Huh? You'll be staying with us for the duration of our stay?"

Obi nodded in confirmation. "Master saw that I wanted to stay with you, so he ordered me to be here. I'll be watching over you two for his sake."

Though that was only half the truth, he kept the other half to himself. _No use bothering her with my feelings._

Shirayuki blinked, then narrowed her eyes slightly. "I see. Well, I need to go do my work, so feel free to stay here, if you'd like."

He watched over them from afar as all the herbalists and botanists gathered around to share their new findings. In the end, they still couldn't figure out the cure to the disease, even with a faded book telling them about it.

"Let's just call it a day," Shidan said as he dismissed everyone. "You all have worked hard, but I'm sorry we haven't gotten any closer to finding the cure."

Yuzuri gave him an optimistic smile. "Don't worry! I'm sure we'll find it soon!"

Suzu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure we will."

Shirayuki headed for the door. "See you all tomorrow. If you need me, I'll be in my room."

Everyone was silent as they watched her close the door softly behind her.

"Is she okay?" Yuzuri asked with worry.

Suzu shrugged. "I don't know, and honestly, I don't care. If you care so much, ask her yourself."

With that, everyone went their separate ways to spend the rest of their day relaxing.

* * *

Shirayuki closed the door to her room softly, bending down next to her bed to grab her personal box of items. Right now, she was feeling more homesick than she ever felt before, and she needed her most treasured souvenirs to cheer her up.

Her hand immediately closed around the bookmark Zen gave her, and she found comfort in just holding it. It was like holding a piece of his heart.

Her hand clutched the bookmark more tightly as she tried to gain control of her thoughts. _I'll see him soon… I just have to get through these two years and I'll be fine…_

She suddenly felt a chill begin to envelop her, and she turned around to see its source.

"O-Obi?!" She stammered, hurriedly getting up and rushing towards the balcony railing Obi was crouching on. "Why are you here?!"

He leaped down from his crouching position, landing skilfully on the floor beside her. "We were all worried about you, so I was sent to come and see what was wrong. Are you okay?"

She waved him off. "For the most part, I am. I've just been feeling a little homesick since you've come since I know Zen ordered you to stay here with me…"

Obi didn't think he could handle looking at her directly without telling her the truth so instead, he glanced at her hands, seeing that she was clutching something rather tightly. "Is that the bookmark Master gave you on your trip around Joka?"

She slowly nodded her head. "Yep. I always keep my most precious gifts tucked away safely."

He raised an eyebrow in mischief. "What else do you have hidden?"

The red-head walked back to her collection of souvenirs, him following close behind. When they both bent down to look at them, Obi was surprised. He tentatively reached inside the box and pulled out the hair ornament he gave her after winning it in that tournament.

"You kept this?" He barely managed to utter out as he rubbed it between his two fingers.

She nodded. "Yep. It was my first gift from you, and the first time Zen complimented me appearance-wise How could I just leave it behind?"

A smile played on his lips. "I didn't think you'd actually treasure it… after all, I only meant to give it to you to annoy Master. Nonetheless, I'm glad you kept it."

She gingerly took it from his hand and clutched it in her hand. "It wasn't for nothing. I plan on wearing it again whenever I have the chance. It's too special to be thrown away."

Her knight placed a hand on her own, squeezing it slightly. "I'd love to see that on you again."

Shirayuki began to blush under his touch, and he quickly tried to remedy it. "I-I mean, I'm sure Master would like to see that on you again, too! After all, he complimented you on it, right?"

She nodded. "Y-Yeah, he did…"

Obi pulled his hand away from hers, though he didn't want to, and sat next to her. "What I'm trying to say is that we all miss each other, but we will always care about one another. No matter how far the distance is, we'll always be friends, right?"

The red-head nodded, giving him a wide smile. "Yep!"

* * *

A/N: AGGGHHH, Obi nearly killed me with this one! I can't help but want to squeal when Obi acts cute. He's honestly my favourite character to write about, and I don't mind having to write about him in the least. xD

On a slightly different note, If you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, granted that I have any free time. xD


	7. Flirting is a Dangerous Game

Obiyuki Week, Day Six: Flirt

Title: Flirting is a Dangerous Game

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : After coming to Lilias, Obi begins to flirt with Shirayuki. Like always, she waves his flirting off and thinks he's just complimenting her. What will happen when she finally realises that they're not friendly compliments, but flirtatious ones?

* * *

"Good morning, Mistress!" Obi greeted her as she arrived at the Lilias Pharmacy Building. "You're looking lovely today!"

Shirayuki let out a soft chuckle. "Thanks, but I didn't really put much thought into my clothing choice. In fact, I just wore whatever I laid my hands on."

He shrugged. "Your hands must have pretty good taste, then."

She swatted his arm playfully. "You're too nice."

She went on her merry way back to the pharmacy, feeling quite happy. When she was given her work, she did it without any qualms or complaints.

"My, my, Shirayuki!" Yuzuri exclaimed as she gave her a smug look. "You seem to be in a good mood. Perhaps you've had a rendezvous with your secret lover?"

The red-head visibly began to turn as red as her hair. "N-No! Nothing like that! I've merely been complimented by Obi on my appearance. It's placed me in a happy mood."

Her best friend raised her eyebrows. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say those compliments were really his attempts at trying to flirt with you."

She burned even more. "W-What?! No, they're not! Obi does it with everyone!"

The blonde botanist shrugged her shoulders as she pivoted on her heel and waved her off. "He doesn't do it for everyone, only the people he really cares about. So far, he's only complimented you and Ryuu. He's also said a few things about someone he calls 'Master?' "

She felt like she would die of embarrassment so she grabbed her scarf and covered her entire face with it. _Hmph… why can't Obi do that with everyone…?_

* * *

Obi waved at the arrival of a familiar guard he considered his friend, leaving his post. "Thanks for filling in for me! I'll just be a minute while I go check on the Miss and Ryuu."

He made his way to the makeshift office the aforementioned two shared, opening the door softly so as not to startle them. When he finally let himself in, he realised that Shirayuki was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Mistress?" The confused Royal Knight asked as he scratched his head.

Ryuu merely shrugged. "She left a while ago after Yuzuri started teasing her. Maybe you should try her room?"

After bidding him a farewell, Obi did just that. He knocked softly on her door. "Mistress? Is everything all right?"

"Huh?" He heard her confused and dazed voice ask. "Oh, yeah! I just needed to retire to my room for a short while…"

"Well, may I come in?" He asked politely.

"Oh, no, please don't!" He heard her let out hurriedly. "I'm fine; just let me be for a moment."

He felt discontent beginning to make its home on his face. "And why is that?"

"No… particular… reason…?"

In the next second, he had opened the door so swiftly that it startled her enough to make her fall off her perch on her bed.

"Obi!" Shirayuki hissed as she helped herself back up. "Why'd you go and do that?"

He gave her an unapologetic stare in response. "You wouldn't let me in, so I had to let myself in. Sorry, but I'm not sorry."

She sighed, admitting her defeat as she went back to sit on her bed. _The things he does…_

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern creeping into his voice.

She started fidgeting with her fingers. "Just… something Yuzuri said earlier today…"

"And what was that?"

"…That your friendly compliments were… actually…"

" 'Were actually'…?"

"…Attempts at flirting."

He felt himself begin to choke on thin air at the bluntness–and honesty–of it all. "W-What?!"

Obi could clearly see that her face was now a deep shade of red. "Is it true? That your compliments were real attempts at flirting?"

He sighed, also admitting defeat as he took a seat next to her on the bed. "What do you want to hear?"

"The truth." Although her previous statements were stated with a low, wavering voice, this statement was stated with an unwavering conviction.

He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, so he just stared at the carpet for a while. "Well… they were attempts at flirting, but not exactly… meaningful…? I never meant to try and seduce you with my flirts; they were really just meant to make you happy."

"Oh," She let out, void of emotion, her eyes blank and glazed slightly over. "I see."

He finally brought himself together and looked her straight in the eyes, putting both of his hands on her cheeks so he could tilt her head upward to look at him. "Are you okay, Mistress? I'm sorry if my attempts at flirting with you have hurt you in any way; I never meant for them to affect you that way."

Her eyes were trembling. He could see it up-close. "It-It's not that that bothers me… It's…"

He blinked a few times in confusion. "If it's not that, then what's bothering you?"

She looked downward, and he didn't fight to make her look upward at him again. "The thing that's bothering me… is…"

A few seconds of silence came afterwards until she said, "you."

"Huh?" He asked as he blinked even more. "I'm bothering you?"

"Not you, per se," She amended, "but my feelings… about you."

"FEELINGS?!"

"Can you keep your voice down?" She hissed in a low whisper, finally having the courage to look him in the eye. He realised now that her eyes were trembling with fear–fear of her feelings for him.

In the midst of screaming that out loud, he had gotten up. He quickly fixed his mistake and sat back down next to her. "What do you mean 'feelings?'"

"When I realised you were flirting with me, I thought back to all of the times you flirted with me and I never knew–when you told me that the dress I wore to the Tanbarun Ball was a nice contrast to my hair, how my pharmacy uniform fitted me wonderfully–and I began to realise that I didn't mind. Not one bit. In fact, I loved it. I still love it."

"B-But…" He stammered like a child trying to learn to read. "Y-You're with Master! You can't–"

He never got to finish, Shirayuki's lips covering his own in the next second. He stood frozen at first, but then gradually began to let himself kiss her back. _Oh, man, when Master finds out…!_

They parted only when they needed air. _What a pesky thing!_

He took a few deep breaths before continuing on. "You can't be with me; what will Master think? He'll be absolutely outrageous when he finds out that we… you know."

She gave him a light kiss. "Sssh, don't worry about such things. For now, can't we just enjoy this?"

" 'This,' " He repeated like a child learning a new word from a different language. "What is that?"

" 'This' is all that we are, all we're meant to be, and all we have yet to be," She said in a low, coaxing tone. "I can't imagine a life without you, Obi. I'm sorry I've only realised this now, but I don't _want_ to imagine one. I just want to be with you, without any doubts in the world."

"What will the Master think?" He found himself suddenly saying, like a rehearsed line. _It might as well be a rehearsed line,_ he amended in his head. _After all, I've told myself that very line as I laid awake at night, thinking about her!_

"Like I said, don't worry," The beautiful red-head repeated once more. Before he could object, she covered his lips with her own, deeply kissing him passionately. For once, Obi let himself get lost in the kiss. He soon forgot about his worries, what his master would say, and even his past. _This is it. What I was born to find; a love like this._

* * *

A/N: I'll admit, I don't know how flirting works. I tried searching up a few pick-up lines that Obi would likely use, but they just made me laugh. I've never been flirted with or flirted with anyone else, so I've no idea how to flirt. Sorry if it didn't exactly turn out the best it could be.

If you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, granted that I have any free time. xD


	8. Protecting What's Important

Obiyuki Week, Day Seven: Protect

Title: Protecting What's Important

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.**

 _Synopsis_ : When Shirayuki gets kidnapped by the Sea's Talons, how does Obi feel throughout this whole ordeal?

SPOILER ALERT: This prompt was inspired by the Tanbarun arc (chapters 22 – 26), so if you haven't caught up that far, please don't read this. It will spoil a lot of the plot for you.

* * *

"Are you ready to go, Mistress?" Obi asked as he held out his arm for her to take.

Shirayuki gripped her dress tightly, anxiety clearly showing in her emerald eyes. "Y-Yes, but I'm afraid I'll do something wrong… If I do anything uncouth, it would reflect badly on Prince Zen and his country…"

 _It's just like her to doubt herself like that, even when she's so talented._

He waved her off. "Don't worry so much. If you just act like yourself, you'll be just fine."

She gave him a gentle smile and was about to say something when they were interrupted by an urgent knock on the door. "Excuse me? Lady Shirayuki and Sir Obi? We've received a letter addressed to you both."

They shared a sceptical glance before the ex-assassin went to open the door. "Who was the message from?"

The messenger gave him an apologetic look as he held out the letter. "My apologies, but we didn't open the letter and therefore have no idea who sent it. All we know is that we were told to deliver it to you post haste on the Royalty of Clarines' orders."

 _So that narrows it down to three people; Queen Haruto, Prince Izana, or Master,_ He thought as he took the envelope from the messenger. "Thank you for delivering this to me."

"What does the letter say?" Shirayuki asked once he had shut the door and made his way towards her, opening it as he did so.

He skimmed it over before answering, "'You can't go to the ball. It's not safe. Mihaya has discovered new information on the kidnappers. They know you're in Tanbarun.'"

Suddenly, a deep, cold chill enveloped them. They both turned towards the direction of the source and found a young boy standing on the railing. The balcony doors were forced open somehow and the drapes were flowing freely with the will of the wind.

He had an indifferent expression on his face at first, but then he smiled. "Shirayuki! Found you!"

"You're the pretty boy!" They both uttered simultaneously.

He continued to smile at them. "Although I am pretty, don't you think it's strange to say that in synchronisation upon our first meeting?"

Just then someone else jumped from the balcony, landing skilfully on the floor.

Obi quickly positioned himself in front of his mistress and held a protective hand in front of her. "Run away now, Miss!"

The man who had jumped down charged at him, quickly aiming blow after blow. He looked like he was a young man of about twenty and had a scar running across the left side of his face. Judging by the way he so easily dodged Obi's oncoming attacks, he was also a very adroit assassin who had previous experience in kidnapping someone.

"Someone hel—" His mistress' plea was cut short and he glanced quickly to see why. The pretty boy had somehow managed to pass him and had now succeeded in tying her up. Right now, he was covering her mouth with his hand to prevent any words from becoming audible.

Obi bit his lip as he returned his senses back to the battle at hand. _I'll never be able to save her if I don't stop this guy first!_

Just as he was about to land a blow that would make the scarred man unconscious, the door was open and momentarily took his attention away from the fight.

"Obi, Shirayuki, are you going to—" The voice belonged to Princess Rona, and as she took in the scene before her, she instantly fell silent.

That moment was all the assassin needed to knock him out. While Obi was distracted, he aimed an attack on his neck so quickly he couldn't stop it. He found himself slowly fading from consciousness.

"Sorry," The assassin muttered under his breath as he looked him in the eye. Obi could find no hint of malice in his eyes, but he couldn't find a hint of regret either.

"Yeah… I… bet…" The Second Prince of Clarines' Attendant barely managed to mutter before hitting the floor and falling unconscious.

* * *

" _OBI! OBI!"_

He quickly came back to reality as Shirayuki's frantic voice yelling his name ringing in his ears.

"You're awake," A lady wearing the uniform of a castle worker said with relief. "You were knocked out before. Are you alright?"

He nodded. "I feel alright. I don't feel like I've broken anything, so I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry, Sir Obi," A small, familiar voice apologised. He turned towards the source and found himself face-to-face with Princess Rona. Her brother, Prince Eugenia, was right beside her.

The black-haired visitor gave her a tight-lipped smile. "It's not your fault. I'm the one who got distracted right in the middle of a battle and lost the upper hand."

"Still…" The Princess gripped the hem of her dress tightly. "If we hadn't intruded, Shirayuki wouldn't have been taken…"

Obi quickly turned towards the nurse. "Where is Shirayuki?"

The nurse gave him a solemn look. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that after you were knocked unconscious, Shirayuki was knocked out with a sleeping drug, as Princess Rona recalls. The kidnappers made off with her."

He mentally slapped himself for letting this happen, clenching his bedsheet with his fists . _Shirayuki was counting on me to protect her, and I just let her down… What kind of knight am I…?!_

After seeing the worry in his eyes, she tried to reassure him. "Please don't worry. As we speak, all the guards Tanbarun has to offer are already up and searching for the kidnappers."

He mustered up all the courage he could and plastered a smile on his face. "Good to hear, but do you mind letting me be? I've had a rough day and need some sleep to rest."

The nurse nodded and directed the two youngest royals in Tanbarun towards the door. "If you need anything, just holler and I'll be there with time to spare."

After the nurse had closed the door, he looked around to gather his surroundings. On the bedside table, someone had placed the letter addressed to him and Shirayuki. Right next to it was a new package.

Albeit he knew he'd feel bad about it later, he opened the package and found a blue ornament that looked like it was made out of walnut stone. _Kihal must've made this for Shirayuki…._

He clutched it tightly in his hands, visibly trembling. _I let Shirayuki get kidnapped… Not only did I let her down, I let everyone who cares about her down, too…!_

He tucked it into his pocket and quickly wrote a note to explain where he'd gone. Once that was done, he opened the window and was gone in pursuit of the kidnappers.

* * *

 _Being an ex-assassin, I know they wouldn't want to get caught, so they probably avoided going on the main roads and stuck to forest paths instead…_

The amble knight jumped from tree to tree, trying to think like the kidnappers would. _They should be around…_

"Kazuki!" He heard the scarred kidnapper call out. _I was right on! They're here!_

In a few swift moves, he swooped down and landed a fatal blow on his stomach.

"Kyah!" The silver-haired man let out, completely blindsided by his attack. Obi quickly took advantage of this and pushed him up against a tree, lifting him off the ground.

"Where. is. Shirayuki?" He demanded in a scary, cavernous voice.

The scarred man withered against his grip, trying so hard to get free of it, but eventually went limp when he realised it wouldn't do any good. "I don't know. My partner was with her when I last saw him, but then I went to go get water from a nearby stream. I came back and they were gone."

The black-haired man glowered down at him, daring him to lie. "Are you telling the truth?"

The unfortunate mercenary gulped before answering, "Y-Yes! I'm not sure where he went or why–"

The man froze as he looked more closely at the bark of the tree he was pressed against. He began withering again, but this time frantically. "You have to let me go! It's an emergency!"

Obi tightened his grip on him more. "What's with the sudden change in attitude?"

The silver-haired assassin kept trying to get free of his grip. "You don't understand! You have to let me go, otherwise, Kazuki and your friend will be sold somewhere far away!"

The Prince's Knight loosened his grip on him, but quickly got out one of his kunai and stuck it in the bark beside the kidnapper's head. "I'm not letting you go. You will take me with you to find out where they were taken, alright?"

The kidnapper was too stunned to do anything but nod, and Obi let him go. "So, what did you mean when you said they could get sold somewhere far away?"

The kidnapper dusted off himself before answering, "The mark on the tree was one that the Sea's Talons always leave to show they were there. In other words, they took Kazuki and Shirayuki and wanted us to know that."

The black-haired traveler sighed before giving him a glare. "So, in other words, Shirayuki was kidnapped twice?"

The scarred man nodded, his eyes widening. "It-It'd be a good idea to join forces and help find them together, don't cha think?"

He rolled his eyes. "Guess I have no choice. How do you plan on pursuing the kidnappers?"

"By using the two horses Kazuki and I tucked away. You can use Kazuki's and trail behind me."

"I'll be trailing very close to you. If you so much as move an inch without reason…"

Obi took out one of his kunai and whisked it through the air, over the kidnapper's head. "…I won't miss next time."

 _Shirayuki is too important to me—I mean, Master and everyone else—to let get kidnapped!_

The kidnapper gulped, too terrified to do anything but nod in acceptance.

The ex-assassin gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Glad we have now properly communicated. Now, let's go rescue Shirayuki and Kazuki!"

The kidnapper—who now introduced himself as Itoya—and he both mounted their newly acquired horses and set off in pursuit of the Sea's Talons.

 _Shirayuki, wait just a little bit longer… I swear I'll find you and protect you this time!_

* * *

That's it this time around! If you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, should I have any free time. xD

On a different note, if you want me to make another one-shot concerning the Obiyuki or Zenyuki pair, feel free to ask or request me for it! I'll be glad to do it, granted that I have any free time. xD


	9. On Hiatus!

Okay, I know I said I would make new chapters for this fan-fiction, but that was when I thought I had free time and before I decided to take on other fan-fiction on top of the ones I already have. Things have changed.

Lately, I haven't had any inspiration to update this fan-fiction. I don't receive much feedback on any of my other works, but this fan-fiction is definitely not getting any feedback. I've tried forcing myself to write prompts for this, but now, I don't see the point of doing that?

For now, this FF will be on an indefinite hiatus. Feel free to leave any reviews with suggestions as to future chapters, 'cause right now, I'm at a mental block for writing. I have other fan-fictions on Akagami no Shirayukihime, so maybe consider checking those out while I decide if I should continue this series?


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